The present invention pertains to a control device for a knitting machine. More particularly, this invention relates to a control device including data processing units and operative for transmitting, storing and processing the information required for a knitting process in automatically operated knitting machines.
Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a control device for a flat knitting machine including a plurality of knitting carriages running in one direction, but can also be employed with a flat knitting machine with back and forth movable carriages or with a circular knitting machine.
The control devices of the foregoing type include a stationary control part connected with stationary components of the machine and a movable control part connected to the movable knitting carriages.
One of the knitting machines with continuously running carriages is disclosed in applicant's pending application Ser. No. 440,029.
German patent publication DE-OS 2,658,588 discloses a control device for a wireless transmission of data of the stationary control part to the movable control part in the flat knitting machine. In the reference device, one or more transmitters are connected with a data carrier, which cooperate with a data receiver mounted on each individual knitting carriage. One or more transmitters are located outside of needle spaces. The data transmitters send their impulses or signals along the transmission area, which signals are received by the receivers of one or a number of knitting carriages. The received data are processed in a microprocessor and other control unit installed on or associated with each knitting carriage. The data carrier and knitting carriages are provided with special structural elements and constructions for protection and screening of the transmission area against a foreign influence. Optical, acoustic and electro-magnetic elements serve for transmitting information data.
The disadvantage of this wireless transmission is that, due to various environmental influences, this transmission is extremely troublesome. This known control device is extremely complex technically and costly because it should be protected against a foreign influence and due to a required frequency separation of a plurality of signals involved.